The Dangote refinery recently announced a reduction in petrol prices, from ₦865 per litre to ₦841 in Lagos and the South West, and ₦851 in Abuja, Edo, and Kwara. However, DAPPMAN has kicked against the planned price slash, stating that it is a ploy to stifle competition.
Olufemi Adewole, the Executive Secretary of DAPPMAN, revealed that members of the group have bought Dangote's petrol from international traders in Lome, Togo, at prices lower than what was offered locally by the refinery. Adewole emphasized that importers have made efforts to buy petrol from the Dangote refinery, but the price was higher, making it sometimes more beneficial to import the product.
The Dangote refinery has downplayed the allegations, suggesting that DAPPMAN might be behind the recent attack by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). NUPENG had accused the refinery of anti-union practices, including refusing to allow drivers to join the group.
The controversy surrounding the Dangote refinery's pricing strategy has raised concerns about the impact on local businesses and consumers. While the refinery has announced plans to begin a logistics-free distribution program aimed at reducing fuel prices, DAPPMAN has questioned the timing and effect of the price reductions on the market.